LOCATION TUTHILL            SD+NE
Established Series
Rev. LDS-WJB
11/98

TUTHILL SERIES


The Tuthill series consists of very deep, well drained soils formed in sandy and loamy materials on uplands. These soils have moderate permeability in the subsoil and rapid permeability in the substratum. Slopes range from 0 to 15 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 48 degrees F.

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argiustolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Tuthill fine sandy loam - on a convex southwest-facing slopes of 3 percent in a cultivated field. When described the soil was moist to 16 inches. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated.)

Ap--0 to 5 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; soft, friable; neutral; abrupt smooth boundary.

A--5 to 9 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak medium and fine subangular blocky; slightly hard, friable; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined A horizons is 7 to 12 inches thick)

Bt1--9 to 14 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; very hard, firm, slightly sticky; thin clay films on vertical faces of peds with bridging between sand grains; neutral; clear wavy boundary.

Bt2--14 to 24 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine blocky; very hard, firm, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; thin continuous clay films on faces of peds with bridging between sand grains; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (Combined Bt horizons is 10 to 24 inches thick.)

BC--24 to 29 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium and fine subangular blocky; hard, friable; patchy films on faces of peds; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)

2C1--29 to 48 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) loamy sand, brown (10YR 5/3) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure and single grained; soft, loose; slightly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary.

2C2--48 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 7/2) and white (10YR 8/1) loamy sand, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and light gray (10YR 7/2) moist; single grained; loose; strong effervescence; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Todd County, South Dakota; about 4 miles west and 1 mile south of Mission; 150 feet south and 250 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 11, T. 38 N., R. 29 W.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Free carbonate is at depths of 30 to 60 inches or more. Depth to the contrasting 2C horizon ranges from about 20 to 40 inches. Thickness of the mollic epipedon typically is 9 to 12 inches, but ranges from 7 to 20 inches and extends into the Bt horizon of some pedons.

The A horizon has value of 4 or 5 and 2 or 3 moist, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam. It is slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Some pedons have a loamy fine sand overblown phase.

The Bt horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 4 to 6 and 3 or 4 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It typically is sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and clay loam averaging between 35 and 70 percent sand and ranging from 18 to 35 percent clay. It is loam in some pedons. The Bt horizon is very hard or extremely hard and slightly acid to slightly alkaline.

The BC horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 5 or 6 and 4 or 5 moist, and chroma of 2 to 4. It is sandy loam, sandy clay loam, loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam and slightly acid to slightly alkaline. Some pedons have a 2BC horizon.

The 2C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 10YR, value of 6 to 8 and 5 to 7 moist, and chroma of 1 to 3. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, or fine sand. Thin to moderately thick strata of loam or sandy loam are between depths of 40 to 60 inches in some pedons. Loamy sands and fine sands are weakly cemented between depths of 40 and 60 inches in some pedons. It is slightly or moderately alkaline.

COMPETING SERIES: These are the Altvan, Atencio, Eckley, Gustspring, Landavaso, Newlin, Redridge, Wheatridge, and Wolfvar series. Altvan soils contain less sand and more silt in the argillic horizons and have more than 15 percent gravel in the 2C horizon. Atencio and Redridge soils have a hue of 7.5YR or redder in the Bt horizon. Eckley, Gustspring, Newlin, and Wheatridge soils have more than 15 percent rock fragments in the 2C horizon. In addition, Eckley soils have sand and gravel at a depth above 20 inches and Newlin soils have 15 to 35 percent rock fragments in the solum. Landavaso soils contain more than 35 percent coarse fragments in the 2C horizon. Wolfvar soils contain more than 35 percent clay in the argillic horizon.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Tuthill soils are on smooth nearly level to rolling uplands with convex to slightly concave surfaces. Slope gradients range from 0 to 15 percent. Tuthill soils formed in sandy and loamy materials of mixed origin. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 15 to 18 inches, and the mean annual temperature ranges from 45 to 49 degrees F.

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alice, Anselmo, Canyon, Holt, Jayem, Keith, Rosebud, Tassel, Valentine, Vetal, and Woodly soils. Alice and Anselmo soils do not have an argillic horizon and are on similar landscapes. Canyon soils contain more silt and are shallow to sandstone. They are on ridges and side slopes. Jayem soils are coarse-loamy and do not have an argillic horizon. They are in swales and lower foot slopes. Holt, Keith, and Rosebud soils are on similar landscapes. Holt soils are coarse-loamy. Keith soils are fine-silty. Rosebud soils are underlain by limy sandstone at depths of 20 to 40 inches. Tassel soils are shallow to sandstone and are on ridges and side slopes. Valentine soils are sandy and typically are on hummocky landscapes. Vetal and Woodly soils have a mollic epipedon more than 20 inches and are on flats and in shallow depressions.

DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Runoff is slow on slopes less than 2 percent and medium on more sloping areas. Permeability is moderate in the subsoil and rapid in the substratum.

USE AND VEGETATION: Used about equally as cropland and native grassland. Common crops are small grain, corn, and other feed crops. Native vegetation is mainly needleandthread, prairie sandreed, little bluestem, sideoats grama, western wheatgrass, blue grama, and forbs.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska. The series is of moderate extent.

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Shannon County, South Dakota, 1971.

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of about 9 inches (Ap and A horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from a depth of about 9 to 24 inches (Bt1 and Bt2 horizons)


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.